A unitary (i.e., one-piece) molded plastic foldable garment hanger is shown and described in my prior patent, Adams et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,021. Although that hanger is very useful, the hanger may have certain disadvantages.
For one thing, that hanger has many flexible connections between adjacent components. Also, the hanger has a relatively complex latching mechanism. Further, that hanger requires a relatively complex forming mold with many spaced, adjacent surfaces and interconnecting cavities so that the mold can be expensive to make, maintain and use. The many interconnected parts and relatively complicated latching mechanism in that hanger suggest a greater risk of product failure than would be expected to exist inherently with another functionally similar product that had fewer interconnected parts and a simpler latching mechanism.
To circumvent these potential disadvantages, a new simplified and reliable unitary folding hanger structure is needed. My present invention supplies this need.